A visiting Coast Guard rep gave us the following simple steps in using your VHF radio for emergency calls:

1. Turn radio power on
2. Tune to channel 16
3. Press transmit button and clearly state three times “Mayday” (for distress) or “Pan-Pan” (for urgent)
4. State: you are a kayaker named … your position …. nature of emergency …. kind of assistance needed …. number of persons …. other useful info ….
5. State “over” and release transmit button
6. Wait 30 seconds, repeat above steps if no response received.

Because kayaks are low profile, the range of the transmitting radio may only be a mile or so. But the radio towers or passing vessels may be able to pick up your signal, so continue to transmit intermittently until a response is received.